Folding cot.



Patented Apr. 16; 1918.

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A. N. CLOUGH.

FOLDING COT.

APPLICATION FILED AUGII. I911- 1,263,040.

ATENT onnron ALFRED N. CLOUGH, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THREE LEAF COT MANU- FACTURING 00., OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF NEVADA.

FOLDING cor.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

Application filed August 1, 1917. Serial N 0. 183,894.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED N. CLoUcH, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and States of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Cots, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding cots of the type shown and described in the application of Alfred N. and Charles IV. Clough, Serial Number 175,7 74, filed June 20th, 1917.

In the prior application referred to the folding legs of the cot are braced transversely by means of a cross-bar extending between opposite legs and jointed centrally with a diagonally jointed brace extending between each supporting leg and the cross-' bar. In the use of the cot strains thrown upon the upper ends of the legs tending to draw them together are tremendous and are opposed by the diagonal braces which press downwardly upon the cross-bar and tend to bend the knee-joint of the latter backwardly. The parts soon become bent or loosened and, therefore, are subject to early breakage and likewise permit considerable sagging of the canvas or cloth bottom of the cot.

It is the object of the present invention to eliminate these objections and so brace the supporting legs of the cot as to prevent any bending or loosening of the joints and likewise any sagging of the cot bottom. This I accomplish by adding tie links to the cross-bar which hold the latter in an angular position and receive the strains thrown upon the cross-bar by the diagonal braces and act in tension to prevent bending or buckling of the joint in the cross-bar.

One form which my invention may as sume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an end elevation of the extended cot equipped with my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a sectional View in plan, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the parts in folded position.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawing, the bottom of the cot is indicated at 10 and is supported at each end upon a pair of transversely spaced legs 11 pivoted to the side rails of the cot for folding movement. The opposite legs are held spaced apart by a transverse bar 12 pivotally connected at its ends to the lower .portions of the legs and provided intermediately with a joint 13.

Intermediate the ends of each section of the jointed cross-bar I pivotally attach a tie link 14 and connect the adjacent ends of the two tie links together by means of a U- shaped bar 15 forming a knee joint in line with the joint 13 and foldable upwardly. The tie links are of such length that the sections of the cross-bar 12 cannot assume a straight line when extended, being held in angular position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Diagonal braces 17 are connected to the cross-bar at points adjacent to the connection of the tie links therewith and extend upwardly to the upper portion of the adjacent leg and have each a knee-joint 18 which permits upward and inward flexing of the sections of the brace. These braces hold the upper ends of the legs spaced apart and impart a thrust to the cross-bar 12 which is resisted by the tie links 14. Any tendency for the cross-bar to assume a straight line is opposed by the links in tension. Consequently alllooseness and bending of the connections are eliminated and the bottom of the cot is prevented from sagging. Pref erably a single pin 19 is used for connecting the diagonal brace and the tie link to each of the sections of the cross-bar and the said brace and link are arranged on opposite sides of the cross-bar for convenience in folding and distribution of the strains.

The connections described are foldable and collapsible in the same manner as illustrated and described in the prior application referred to.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. In a folding cot of the type disclosed, a pair of transversely spaced supporting legs, a jointed cross-bar between said legs, diagonal braces extending between each leg and the cross-bar, and means acting in tension to hold the cross-bar from flexing at its joint when the parts are extended.

2. In a folding cot of the type disclosed, a pair of transversely spaced supporting legs, a jointed cross-bar between said legs, a diagonal brace extending between each leg.

bar and acting in tension to keep the same from assuming a straight line under the thrusts imposed thereon by the brace bars.

3. In a folding cot of the type disclosed, a pair of transversely spaced supporting legs pivotally connected to the side rails of the cot, a cross-bar pivotally connected to the'lower' ends of the legs and provided intermediately with a joint foldable upwardly to permit the opposite legs to be moved together, a jointed brace-bar pivotally connected ,to the upper portion of each leg and extending diagonally to the crossbar and pivotally connected to the same,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for and a pair of tie links pivotally connected together and to the cross-bar at points in line With the connections of the'brace bars therewith for holding said cross-bar in an angular position and receiving in tension any thrusts imposed upon said cross-bar by the brace bars.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALFRED N.. CLOUGH, Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING',

W. W. HEALEY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington; D. G. 

